Audio clip
David Trujillo
DALTON, Ga. — Carrying bottles of water, umbrellas and snacks, thousands of people participated in the Stations of the Cross here Friday afternoon.
“It’s the passion of our Lord,” Rocky Face, Ga., resident Paul Zock said. “It’s the whole thrust of our faith, and that’s why everybody is here, not because of the novelty, but (because) that’s what it is all about.”
The Stations of the Cross are part of a three-part celebration of Jesus Christ’s resurrection that consists of 14 events covering his final hours before being crucified, Father Jesus David Trujillo said.
“When we see this representation we reflect about how we are going to pay him back for what he did for us,” he added.
Hours before the bilingual event was scheduled to begin, hundreds of cars were lined up to be guided to an improvised parking area after the church parking lots overflowed.
At 2:30 p.m. about 2,500 people gathered around the steps of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church to pray, shortly before characters portraying Roman soldiers dragged the character of Jesus Christ to a stage. Children and adults followed the priests and characters through the 14 stations, a trek of about a mile through the property of the church.
Because of the large number of participants some people got ahead of the main group to get a better look at what was happening.
Mr. Zock, who attended the celebration for the seventh year with his children, said attendance has grown tenfold since the first time he took part.
Father Trujillo said 10 years ago, there was not a major celebration of the Stations of the Cross, but since then the event has grown tremendously.
This year they had close to 150 volunteers, including 80 actors and about 40 people directing traffic.
“We are especially doing this with our Hispanic community because it is a tradition we bring from our countries,” Father Trujillo said.
Gabriel Mejia, who played Jesus Christ, said it was a life-changing experience.
“You really have to prepare yourself physically, emotionally and spiritually,” he said. “I had played a soldier and Pilate, but this is a completely different experience that I can’t really express with words.”
George Johnson and his wife Margie said they had attended the celebration three years ago out of curiosity and have tried to be there every year since.
“It’s really an eye-opening experience; it puts a sense of reality to it,” said Mr. Johnson, who is also a pastor at the Fellowship Church in Chatsworth, Ga.
Daisy Aguilar, 9, said she was afraid of seeing Jesus being put on the cross.
“I didn’t like seeing him like that because he is Jesus,” she said.
Adolfo Rosales, who played a Roman soldier, said previously playing Jesus for two years brought on a change in his heart.
“I wanted someone else to have that experience, because it’s a wonderful thing,” he said.
Dalton resident Maggie Young said she has never seen anything like it.
“I was born and raised Catholic, but I had never had the opportunity to see what they do for Good Friday,” she said. “I’m glad I came.”
Father Trujillo said the most important part of the celebration is Jesus Christ’s resurrection.
“All these celebrations — Last Supper, Stations of the Cross, the Liturgy of the Passion, the Easter Vigil — are in preparation for the resurrection of Jesus Christ,” he said.
Perla Trevizo joined the Chattanooga Times Free Press in 2007 and covers immigration/diversity issues and higher education. She holds a master’s degree in newswire journalism from Universidad Rey Juan Carlos in Madrid, Spain, and a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Texas. In 2011 she participated in the Bringing Home the World international reporting fellowship program sponsored by the International Center for Journalists, producing a series on Guatemalan immigrants for which she ...
